The Wu-Tang's anticipated latest, Legendary Weapons, dropped last week and since has shot to the number one position on the latest Amoeba Music San Francisco hip-hop chart, which comes courtesy of Luis at the Haight Street store. So is it a great album and does it live up to the Wu-Tang (formerly Wu-Tang Clan) legacy? Yes and no. No it doesn't top 36 Chambers - but then nothing will ever surpass that timeless, pitch-perfect, hip-hop masterpiece that the Shaolin crew burst onto the scene with eighteen long years ago. But yes it is a really strong hip-hop album from the Wu who, even though they appear here minus the major player Genius/GZA and the lesser Wu warrior Masta Killa, still deliver a kick ass album with Legendary Weapons whose production is handled by the production trio of Fizzy Womack, Noah Rubin, and Andrew Kelley who keep true to the RZA formula (RZA is credited as the "executive producer" which I assume means he popped into the studio here and there to look over the trio's shoulders and make sure they delivered that unique WU flavor.) As well as the RZA on board for this release are Wu-Tang core members Ghostface, Raekwon, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, and U-God as well as cameos from a variety of talents including AZ, M.O.P., Termanology, Trife Diesel, and Killa Sin. Below is a sample track from the album; "Never Feel The Pain," that features Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Tre Williams.

Wu-Tang "Never Feel The Pain" (2011)

Elzhi "Detroit State of Mind" (2011)

Another new chart entry this week is Detroit emcee Elzhi's ode to Nas' Illmatic. Titled Elmatic I wrote in detail about this excellent ten track tribute, that includes such homages as "Detroit State of Mind" (above), on the Amoeblog when it first surfaced a couple of months back. Another hot item at Amoeba (and everywhere else too it seems) right now is MellowHype's (Odd Future's Hodgy Beats & Left Brain) album Blackenedwhite which is technically a remastered & repackaged reissue by Fat Possum of last year's underground mixtape of the same name.

The CD which almost qualifies as an Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) release, since it also features the crew's Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, is pretty hardcore stuff and not for everyone's sensibilities. "Not suitable for anyone easily shocked or offended," warns the Amoeba website of this release, accurately describing the crew as makers of "freaky, ultraviolent low-budget horrorcore, the vileness and baseness of which are more than made up for by the punk rock directness of teens that really, truly don't give a f*ck." Read full Amoeba review here. Below is the recently unleashed video for the album track "64."

Two totally different local hip-hop acts also occupy this week's Amoeba SF top five; Can't Take the Ghetto Out A Nigga from longtime Fillmore rapper San Quinn (check out yesterday's Amoeblog on the Fillmore District of San Francisco's rich rap History) and San Francisco DJ/producer/turntablist Teeko. For this latest outing, Light Up The Darkness on Mellow Orange, the former battle DJ & co-founder of such turntable and funk entities as 4onefunk, The Dollar Bin Quintet, 4onePhonics, and F.A.M.E. (Fresh Analog Music Experience), advances the style he presented on his acclaimed 2006 solo debut My SoundStation.

Teeko's 4oneFunk bandmate, fellow turntablist Mista B will be out in NYC this weekend for the DMC US Finals where he will both do a showcase performance and be a judge. I will also be a judge at this major DJ battle competition which happens tomorrow, Saturday August 6th at 4pm at Santos Party House and will do an update here. The US Finals is a lead up to the DMC World Finals which will be held on October 6th and 7th at London, England's Indig02, 02 Arena. Note that after tomorrow's DMC US battle Mista B will shortly thereafter be heading over to Japan where he will meet up with DJ Quest, DnZ, and DJ ALF to embark on Hip Hop Slam DJ tour with proceeds benefiting victims of the recent devastating earthquake & tsunami.

Other recent releases still in demand at Amoeba San Francisco New Orleans artist Curren$y' sixth studio album, Weekend at Burnie's, the recommended pairing of Pete Rock/Smif-n-Wessun Monumental on Brooklyn's Duck Down Records, and Seattle alternative hip-hop crew Shabazz Palaces'Black Up on Sub Pop who are fronted by former Digable Planets emcee Ishmael Butler (aka Palaceer Lazaro).

Buck 65, who I was lucky to see perform a great concert at the Bowery Ballroom, NYC on July 22nd, has canceled the West Coast dates of his current US tour (due to family matters) which were to have included The Satellite in LA on August 12th and Slim's in San Francisco on August 14th. The Canadian artist's representatives say that these shows are been postponed but so far no new dates have been announced. Purchasers can go to point-of-sale for refund. Earlier this year the artist released the album 20 Odds Years; around which time he was interviewed by the Amoeblog.

Juice Crew member and hip-hop icon, Tragedy Khadafi is set to release the new mixtape Thug Matrix 3 on September 20th. The mixtape features Killa Sha with production by: araabMUZIK, Shroom, Audible Doctor, Now & Laterz, and Ayatollah. This week the artist made available the album track "Ill-Luminous Flow" (produced byNow and Laterz).